Confederate Characters
= Politicians and Civilists = Howard T. Ackerman Born on a farm in rural Idaho to parents who had supported William Jennings Bryan, Howard T. Ackerman graduated from the University of Idaho with top marks. He became an engaged populist during his university time, heading the college progressives though criticized for being too radical, and went on to joined President Joseph McCarthy's Federalist Party in its early days. He quickly became one of the inner members of the party, developing a close friendship to McCarthy himself, who Ackerman would later describe as his "mentor, the one and only". As the Secretary of Agriculture in the McCarthy administration, he gained popularity for his straight-forward rhetoric, populist economic policies meant to ensure every American had enough to live comfortably and pursue the American dream, and his true hate for Communism, traits desperately sought in the times of the cold war. After the Federalists under President William E. Jenner lost the election of 1960, Ackerman became the most prominent candidate to run for President for the Federalists in 1964. His landslide victory, winning a whopping 479 of 538 electoral votes, allowed for the passing of several bills to increase the dedication of funds to the fight against Communism and further reform the American economy and crush what he saw as divisive bigotry with his plans for a "great society", and for a full American commitment in the Third World War. When the Empire of the Rising Sun joined the war, President Ackerman advocated focusing completely on the original Soviet threat, but was often over-ruled by the Allied Command who saw the sudden new enemy as the superior threat due to its sudden cutting off of pacific supplies. He was elected by the American people, his greatest supporters, in another landslide in 1968, despite reports coming from White House sources that the President was acting suspiciously; often asking questions that had already been answered, as to seek confirmation, and scribbling strange characters identified as Japanese katakana writing on his bedroom wall. As the Allies decided to sign a truce with the Soviets, despite Ackerman's protests, he refused to take part in any further Allied meetings, instead retreating to South Dakota, where he would attempt to use McCarthy's Mount Rushmore Cannon installed by his mentor Joseph McCarthy to level Moscow himself, despite being aware of that the Soviets would launch every Vacuum Imploder missile and every Kirov Airship at Europe if he did. Formally declared insane by the Allied leadership in an emergency meeting, generals Manning and Fuller were sent to dispatch him at Mount Rushmore. After his death in the battle, it was discovered that Ackerman had, at an indeterminate time in the past, been replaced by a robotic copy of unknown origin. The Allies, fearing a foreign infiltration, took control of the American government and installed an interim president. This incited great anger in the American populace, where Ackerman was still popular and who couldn't be allowed to know of the security breach due to security reasons, in a futile attempt to keep the population calm; instead resulting in the opposite. He is today seen as an insane traitor by the Allies, ironically one of his greatest benefactors, and as a hero who wouldn't back out of his beliefs by the Confederates. Dennis Hoffhassle Dennis Hoffhassle didn't seem like a man destined for political history. Born in San Bernadino, California, Hoffhassle seemed more interested in his job as a lifeguard and going swimming than political policies. It was a shock to his friends and family, then, that Hoffhassle decided on graduation to go to law school. His education wasn't the most stellar, but Hoffhassle was a steady student, and eventually graduated with a specialty in Constitutional law. Though first registered as a Republican, the Federlist rhetoric of America's exceptionalism resonated with the young law student and started shifting him towards Populism, and he worked his way up through the ranks to become a senator in 1960. That was when Agricultural Secretary Howard T. Ackerman picked him for the Vice Presidential nomination. The nomination of Hoffhassle as Ackerman's vice presidential candidate went by relatively unnoticed among the news of Soviet build-up; Hoffhassle was relatively unknown to the public in general, and all focus was on Ackerman's personality. But Ackerman (the still-human Ackerman) recognized that a firebrand like himself might drive voters and supporters away. The positioning of the moderate Hoffhassle would temper Ackerman's activism with modern, populist inspired interpretations on the US Constitution, Hoffhassle's movie-star good looks backing up his clear intellect. Though often accused of being "simplistic, thick-headed, and media-focused", those who knew Hoffhassle saw through the carefully constructed front of vanity to a sharp and fast political mind. During the Mt. Rushmore incident, Hoffhassle was in California checking on the reconstruction efforts of Los Angeles when the news came that Ackerman had nearly destroyed Moscow. Running back to Washington DC, he desperately tried to organize the government's response to the crisis when he received the worst news of his career; Howard Ackerman had been killed by Commander Warren Fuller. When he finally touched down in DC, Hoffhassle was sworn in as President of the United States. Despite the Allied victory, Hoffhassle wanted answers. The Allies had essentially taken over the investigation into the incident, and were not releasing Ackerman's body for autopsy and burial. It was a slap in the face to Hoffhassle, who had been a strong supporter of Allied actions, but saw their latest actions as controlling, manipulative, and worst of all, encroaching on America's freedoms. His anger peaked when, on the morning of his proper inauguration the next year, Allied Peacekeepers stormed the balcony and arrested Hoffhassle, putting him under "observation" in Canada, without trial or explanation. Eventually, the Allies let him go, but still without letting him know the reason they had imprisoned him. Going to Federalist HQ in Dallas, he became possibly the most outspoken opponent of the Allies in America. He dropped his false media-conscious exterior and started going for the throat, holding massive rallies across the country to bring the issue of Allied control of the United States. When his fellow senators and other congressmen walked out, he invited them all to speak out against the Allies, and many joined the struggle. Sadly, Hoffhassle didn't expect the outbreak of riots--or perhaps, he had deluded himself into thinking that the Allies would fold before that, or that things would not come to violence. He could only watch in shock as Allied ARVs rolled into the crowd, and as people were trampled by the crowd in its panic. He watched over the next few weeks as the situation escalated from bad to worse, and eventually lost faith in the Allied Nations as they had become. He became convinced that the Allies had lost sight of what was important to protect. The individual could not be subjected to the greater good all the time, and the United States would not bow to Allied rule so long as the Allies were willing to sacrifice the individual for the collective whole. Currently, he is serving the Confederate Revolutionaries as one of their most prominent leaders, prompting the Allied leadership to brand him as a criminal accused of "threatening the stability of our world and the safety of its people". For Hoffhassle, each day is another struggle to keep the various supporters of the Confederacy from breaking with each other to make their own goals happen at the expense of the Rebellion. Despite the difficulty, Hoffhassle will not betray the ideals he speaks for; he will balance the whole and the individiual, or die trying. = Military Personnel = General Staff Benjamin Carville General Benjamin Thorne Carville is one of the most respected names in the rebellion. Ben Carville has been in uniform since 1928, when he joined the United States Army. Working his way up to captain by 1940, he got himself a desk job in Washington D.C.; however, when the Second World War broke out, Carville quickly asked for a transfer to the frontlines, where he knew he could do the most good. Following the end of the Second World War, Major General Carville would continue to stay in the service throughout the inter-war period. He was among the officers who disagreed with the Field Commander program when it was first conceived, though he later changed his views about it, working with the Commanders produced by the program during the Third World War. All of that was a lifetime ago, however; two wars left Carville exhausted and tired, and after the incident at Mt. Rushmore, Allied high command wanted to know how such a weapon had been allowed to exist. Carville took the blame, despite not having been at fault, and resigned from the service, content to try for a peaceful life on a ranch in Texas. Sadly, what happened next dashed all hope for a quiet life after duty. From his ranch, Carville watched as Hoffhassle was taken away during the inauguration. He saw, live, the legislature walking out of Congress, unable to sit by as the Allies imposed their will. But still Carville made no action. Then the Texas Riot Van Massacre happened. Finally, the straw had broken the camel's back. Carville put on his American dress uniform, holstered his pistols, and kissed his wife one last time, before saddling his horse and riding to Federalist HQ in Dallas, where he reaffirmed his oath to support and defend the Constitution. Given the title "General of the Armies", a slightly tongue-in-cheek title given the decentralised situation of the Confederate forces, Carville took command of the fledging Continental Army. What is important is that he knows how the Allies think about war. Carville's plan is simple but effective; coordinate the Continental Armies to hold their positions, while using Militia forces and independent forces behind Allied lines to keep the enemy harassed and off-balance, until the Confederacy can deliver a knock-out blow. Politically, Carville is a Federalist on paper. He is a moderate leftist politically, and knows his duty is to follow the orders of his elected leadership. Privately, though, he has worries about the Rebellion. The lack of cohesion between certain factions worries him, and he does not see a plan of action for after the Allies are driven out. Despite these fears, Carville will fight for his country, no matter the cost. John F. "Jack" Kennedy Jack Kennedy is one of America's fortunate sons. Born to an ambassador and making a name for himself as a hero in the the Great World War Two as a torpedo boat commander when he saved his crew from their sinking vessel, JFK is the very epitome of a proud American patriot, and backs up his image with action. It was no surprise that Kennedy won the presidential election of 1960, and under his administration the Allies enjoyed steady and ready support against the Soviet Union, and as war raged for the third time in Europe, Kennedy stood steadfast behind President Ackerman, though the president's increasingly bizzare rhetoric made him slightly uneasy. Still, Kennedy supported his leaders, and used every resource he had to support the Allied cause. Then came the Mt. Rushmore Incident. That was Kennedy's realization that Ackerman's rabid pro-American sentiment was the cover for a madman, who was so devoted to the destruction of Communism that he would ignore the very real threat of the Empire of the Rising Sun, whose navy Kennedy recognized as just as dangerous as the Soviet tank divisions rolling across Europe's plains. For Ackerman to not only condone, but try to actively kill millions of civilians in a single attack just to kill the Soviet government opened Kennedy's eyes. Sadly, Kennedy's hope that the Allies would help to correct the situation were dashed when Vice President Hoffhassle was taken away during his own inauguration. The second the legislature walked out, Kennedy joined them, walking away from what he saw as an Allied puppet-state and throwing his hat in with the Confederates, making usage of his experience with the navy. Because of that, and also thanks to his friendship with Ben Carville, who he worked with during his Presidency, he was made the co-ordinator of the Confederate-affiliated ships, informally called the "Fleet Admiral" of the Confederates by both Carville and the rank-and-file, despite the Confederates lacking a coherent navy. What Jack wants isn't an American-ruled world, nor does he want war with everyone who doesn't see eye to eye with the Confederate cause. What Kennedy wants is to make the US sovereign again, to rebuild the government into a respectable power and hold the Allies accountable for overtaking his nation. He still remembers having served alongside many Allied commanders, and wants to make it clear that the Allies have made a mistake in thinking America would simply bow to Allied control without getting an answer for certain Allied actions. Despite his new-found affiliation with the Confederates, he remains suspicious of many parts within it, such as the Sprawldwellers and fundamentalist Christians who both speak against his ideals. He loathes both Ayn Rand's "All for Me" beliefs, not to mention her worrisome connections with the "cities" where Kennedy's brother Bobby had traced much of the nation's criminal activities to, and he fears the inflammatory and heavily Christian rhetoric of the Dominionists, who he fears plot to propel their views in the America that will be after the Confederate victory and may threaten the freedom of religion and fair democracy. . Possibly, though, Kennedy's biggest suspicions fall on the Federalist Party itself. It was Ackerman who caused the Allied takeover, and even if the Federalists claim to be devoted to returning America to her own destiny, he still watches them carefully for any actions that would endanger the nation again. Should they or anyone else in the Confederates take action similar to what Ackerman attempted, Kennedy plans on holding the Confederate Navy against them to correct any wrongdoing. He rationalizes this as being their "loyal opposition", willing to combat them for the good of the Confederacy. Field Commanders Wolfgang von Krause "People demand you to be hard as steel, a great man, a hero. I only demand of you one thing - be dedicated to improve yourself and those around you." :- Wolfgang von Krause Wolfgang von "Havoc" Krause is the current leader of the Freedom Guard, with the rank of Colonel. Before he and his platoon, the "Dead 6", joined the Confederacy, he worked in the Allied military on secret missions all over the globe to sabotage the Soviet assault, and later the Empire's surprise attack. When asked to tell something about his life away from the missions, he shuts himself away, believing he should not talk about personal matters. However, for the records he made an exception. Krause was born in the city of Breslau, now located in Soviet Germany near the Polish border. As a child, he was born to Junker parents in a restored German monarchy. After World War II broke out, he joined the army when he was just 17, having learned hand-to-hand combat and tactical knowledge from his father. He quickly rose up in the military ranks for extraordinary service and earned the "Medal of Freedom", the highest military medal in the new Allied Nations, when he was just 21 years old. During this time, he founded the special ops unit "Dead 6". The name was chosen due to the number of members and the fact they were all officially deceased in Allied records. After the war, he learned machine engineering on the technical college Leuna-Merseburg and worked in different technical branches, including a section of chemicals production. He recruited more members for his platoon, enlarging it to 23 people until World War III. He himself is specialised in sabotage missions, explosives and tactical coordination, as well as knowledge over a large amount of western and Soviet weaponry. During World War III, he sabotaged the new Soviet assault, albeit with difficulties, from within Soviet territory. Supply convoys, army transports and ammo depots were his main targets, weakening the Soviet forces so the Allies could strike back when the time comes. During his entire career in the Allied military, he rose first to 1st Sergeant during World War II and later to Colonel during World War III together with his status as a special forces operator. After World War III, the working of his went into a radically different direction. Instead of pushing the Soviets backwards to Russia altogether, the Allies stopped their efforts and established a new line between Allied and Soviet territory. This line went, among other things, directly through the German capital Berlin, including a literal wall splitting the city in two. Krause was enraged about this decision, but had to hear it was final and there was nothing to do about it. Disappointed, he left the Allies and asked every single member of his platoon to follow him or depart. Only 3 of them departed, and all of the others followed him when he joined the new Freedom Guard of the Confederacy. He became their new leader and took command of the Delta Rangers. He was once asked who he thought the most valuable member in his forces was. "Everyone is equally important. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses for him/herself and we need each other to survive. You need a medic? Ask Andre ''"Doc" Jefferson. Need someone to defuse a bomb? Julie "Bomb" Bauer is the woman to ask."'' Christian Therrian III. "Let me explain to you how this is gonna work, first you try an' rough me up, then I break your jaw, it’s all gravy." :- Therrian, in a transmission to an Allied commander Christian Therrian III was born into the 2nd richest family in the United States and is the former owner of Therrian Oil, which used to be the largest oil company in the United States. In the year 1956, a 22 year old Christian Therrian III along with his parents (Christian Therrian II and Abigail Therrian) took a trip to the Las Vegas Sprawl in order to discuss a business deal with the Mediterranean Syndicate. No matter the price they offered Christian Therrian II, he refused to part with his beloved oil company and later stormed out of Las Vegas with his wife and child. A strange event occurred on the trip back to their home in Louisiana. Several large tornadoes ripped through the lonely desert highway the Therrian Limo was taking. Out of his parents, bodyguards, and the driver, Therrian III was the only survivor. This caused him to gain full rights to Therrian Oil. While slowly following his parents' goal to put Therrian Oil back on top, he also followed a personal goal of gaining Syndicate subsidiaries, including running one of the Syndicate's major oil companies out of business. However, many accused him of creating a monopoly, which led to a major legal battle that Therrian only survived due to President Ackerman's support. When the president was murdered he realized that he had lost, and dismantled the company while sending his money to offshore accounts, and threw in his hat with the Confederate Revolutionaries, not only with money, but also with snipers he hired to protect himself from the Syndicate, and an extra hand in writing A Call To Freedom (The Confederate declaration of rebellion). Patricia Jones "Your fortifications are being watched. Your troops are being watched. Your vehicles are being watched. Your supply lines are being watched. You are being watched. Start running now and we will continue to watch. Stand your ground, and all we see will turn to ash." :- Ultimatum received by Major Agustdottir shortly before the Goliad Massacre Born into a middle-class family in suburban coastal Florida, there was little to suggest that Patricia E. Jones was destined for fame and infamy in equal measure, other perhaps than getting kicked out of her Girl Scout troop for excessive roughhousing and becoming one of the most feared offensive players in the Sarasota County Girls' Football League. She enlisted in the National Guard upon graduating high school and was selected for reserve officer training, where she quickly made a name for herself with her keen eye for terrain and affinity for small-unit tactics emphasizing stealth and surprise. Jones was pressured by her superiors to apply for full-time service with the United States Army and receive an education at West Point when World War Two broke out, but she declined in favour of remaining in the Florida Guard and her civilian job as a forest ranger. All of that changed later in the war, when the United States was directly attacked by foreign powers and briefly occupied by two - then seemingly permanently occupied by a third. Florida may not be thought of as a hotbed of American exceptionalism, but it has its own long, proud history, and the nascent Confederate movement knew that MacDill Air Force Base would have to be a priority target. Patricia Jones was one of the many National Guard officers who quietly linked up with the movement, but she would earn her nickname and place as one of the most notorious rebel commanders later, in a quiet Texas city by the name of Goliad. Not long after the Battle of St. Louis, the surviving Allied forces in Texas - now apparently hostile territory for the Peacekeepers - retreated to the historic city of Goliad and began fortifying the city until either they could muster the strength to break out towards Allied lines - unlikely - or reinforcements could fight their way to the city. The highest-ranking Allied officer present, Major Agustdottir, placed her faith in a complex multi-tiered scheme of Multigunner turrets, Guardian tanks, Peacekeepers and Javelin soldiers garrisoned in civilian buildings, Cryocopter and Vindicator air support, and as the centrepiece of the defence, a mighty Proton Collider. But setting up these defences took time, and by the time the Collider had come online, Patricia Jones and her handpicked brigade of National Guardsmen, Allied defectors, and skilled locals willing to take up arms had already infiltrated the suburbs. Six minutes after the Proton Collider came online - precisely enough time for the superweapon to reach full charge - Jones issued her ultimatum. Five minutes later, Major Agustdottir issued a negative response to the rebels. Twenty minutes later, a sorry convoy of two tanks, an infantry fighting vehicle, an armoured personnel carrier, and a Cryocopter were allowed to escape the now rebel-held city and spread the word of what it was like to fight ghosts. If they had only been able to engage the rebels in a direct fight, the survivors insisted, it would have been over even faster, but the rebels could appear and disappear at will - entire tank battalions could turn a street corner and vanish as completely as if they had never been there... until they reappeared behind their pursuers moments later. Allied media coverage seized on the battle as a terrible loss to the Allies and promptly named it the Goliad Massacre despite being only a skirmish compared to some battles not a year before. For her part, Patricia Jones earned the nickname "Goliad" for her success, and she stands today as the Confederates' foremost expert in stealth and deception tactics. Category:Lore Category:Characters